NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA & ZAMBIA AUGUST 19–SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 NAMIBIA: WALVIS BAY PRE-TRIP AUGUST 16–20, 2018 Schalow’s Turaco © Geoff Lockwood LEADER: GEOFF LOCKWOOD LIST COMPILED BY: GEOFF LOCKWOOD VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM The Namibian coastal pre-tour, and also the main tour of Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia, ran a week later than these tours in 2017 – this in the hope that the delay of 7 days would see the arrival of more intra-African and Palearctic migrant species in the region. This certainly bore fruit on the pre-tour - with larger numbers of migratory shorebirds and terns on the coast, and also during the main tour where we had excellent sightings of a number of intra-African migrants including groups of Southern Carmine Bee-eaters in vivid breeding dress, and also a calling Black Cuckoo at Nxamaseri Lodge. Apart from the coastal section, the areas we visited had experienced good rains during the previous summer, and veld conditions were generally good throughout the main tour. Water flow in the Zambezi River was also considerably higher than during last year’s tour, and the Victoria Falls were spectacular – particularly when contrasted with the isolated trickles we witnessed last year. ITINERARY Pre-trip August 17 Flight to Walvis Bay; Kuiseb Delta and Walvis Bay Sewage Works; drive to our hotel in Swakopmund August 18 Swakop River mouth; coastal drive to Walvis Bay and the Walvis Bay Salt Works August 19 Swakopmund Salt Works, Swakop River valley & Rossmund Golf Course August 20 Short return visit to the Walvis Bay Salt Works; Walvis Bay airport to meet the participants on the main tour; flight to Huab Lodge for the start of the main tour. Main Tour August 20 Afternoon drive upstream in the bed of the Huab River August 21 Early morning drive upstream; birding around the lodge then a drive into the hills; afternoon drive along the river August 22 Birding around the Huab Conservancy August 23 Early birding around the lodge, travel to Okaukeujo Camp, Etosha via Kamanjab August 24 Early birding in camp; drive to Okondeka contact spring (am), Newbrowni waterhole and Gemsbokvlakte August 25 Drive eastwards through the park to Halali Camp via Newbrowni, Pan’s Edge, Sueda, Salvadora Rietfontein and Goas waterholes August 26 Halali Camp to Namutoni Camp via Goas, Batia, Kalkheuwel, Chudop waterholes and Dikdik Drive. August 27 Namutoni and surrounds (Klein Namutoni waterhole and Dikdik drive; Klein and Groot Okeivi, Tsumcor and Andoni waterholes) August 28 Namutoni to Mokuti Lodge; flight to Bagani airstrip in the Caprivi; drive through the Mahango Game Reserve to Nxamaseri, Botswana August 29 Boat trip downstream (am); Mekoro (dug-out canoe) trip and walk on an island (pm); August 30 Walk around the airstrip/ or trip to Tsodilo Hills World Heritage Site (part of group) (am); drive to along the Nxamaseri lagoons (pm) August 31 Early morning boat trip downstream; flight to Xakanaka Camp, Moremi and afternoon game drive Sept 01 Morning and afternoon game/birding drives around Xakanaka Sept 02 Early morning game/birding drive; flight to Livingstone via Kasane Sept 03 Early morning boat trip on the Zambezi River above the Falls; afternoon game/birding drive through the Mosi oa Tunya National Park Sept 04 Early morning walk to the Falls; flight to Johannesburg and onward flights home. TOUR SUMMARIES Walvis Bay Pre-trip The pre-tour to the Namibian coast gave us our best day ever for the endemic Dune Lark in the Kuiseb Delta – with sightings of at least eight of these beautiful larks before heading for Swakopmund and checking into our hotel. Other birds were inexplicably thin on the ground in the delta, however, in comparison with previous tours. Walvis Bay and the two large coastal salt works gave customary great views of thousands of Greater and Lesser flamingos, Great White Pelicans, and a variety of early-arriving shorebirds, as well as numbers of endemic and near-endemic terns, gulls, and cormorants. A pair of Red-necked Phalaropes busily feeding on one of the salt pans at the Walvis Bay works gave great views, and we had some of our best sightings of Artic Tern on these tours. A single Damara Tern – a breeding endemic, made a fleeting appearance, but we were unfortunately clearly too early for the mass arrival of this tiny tern species. Great White Pelicans (with Kelp Gulls and Common Greenshank) Male Chestnut-banded Plover Away from the coast, we were treated to great views of several regional endemics – Gray’s Larks, White- backed Mousebirds, Tractrac Chats, and Orange River White-eyes, as well as superb, extended views of feeding Scarlet-chested Sunbirds. A beautiful male Mountain Wheatear – another regional endemic – was another welcome addition to the bird list. Gray’s Lark White-backed Mousebird Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 Namibia, Botswana & Zambia, 2018 Main Tour Our flight to Huab was a pleasant surprise as our aircraft – a state-of-the art Mitsubishi M2 – was a big step up on the Cessna Grand Caravan we have previously used on this leg, and our flight over the Skeleton Coast passed amazingly quickly and in great comfort. Huab had experienced excellent rains – and a variety of seedeaters were back in their usual numbers. We soon had recorded most of the usual species, along with Damara Red-billed- and Monteiro’s hornbills, Rüppell’s Parrots, Rosy-faced Lovebirds, White-tailed Shrikes, Bare-cheeked Babblers, Short-toed Rock- Thrushes, and Carp’s Tits. Raptors were represented by wonderful flight views of Verreaux’s Eagles and African Hawk-Eagles, and Augur Buzzard, while we also recorded our first Pearl-spotted Owlets of the tour. Bare-cheeked Babbler Black Mongoose Highlights were several great views of Black Mongoose – a mammal that we last recorded over 8 years ago; a Damara Rockrunner warbling away quietly from the base of a large Koppie (or rocky hill) close to our vehicle; and stunning full-frame scope views of a male and female Hartlaub’s Francolin raucously duetting from atop a large boulder. Male Hartlaub’s Francolin Male Short-toed Rock-Thrush The drive through to Etosha was not as productive as last year but did produce our first sightings of the striking Lilac-breasted Rollers, Kalahari Scrub-Robins, Scaly Weavers, and the tiny Pygmy Falcon, as well as further sightings of many regional endemics first recorded at Huab. We also recorded our only Brown Snake-Eagle of the tour. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 Namibia, Botswana & Zambia, 2018 The most spectacular sighting of the drive, however, came when Steve suddenly stopped the vehicle and asked if the group would like to see a White-faced Owl. Of course we all said yes, and he backed up the vehicle . and we were soon treated to stunning views of this gorgeous owl as it sleeked down its plumage, closed its eyes, and simply merged with the background. How he managed to pick up this cryptic bird while driving was simply incredible! Southern White-faced Owl in alert posture Our two-night stay in the Okaukeujo Camp in Etosha gave us extended access to the dry western part of this stunning national park. A walk around camp on our first evening had us studying the amazing colonial nests of the Sociable Weavers and gave our first close views of these master builders as they busily went about extending their nests. We also had the experience of watching a breeding herd of elephants, two Black Rhinos, and several Giraffes coming to drink at the floodlit waterhole next to camp. A drive to the Okondeka contact spring on the western edge of the pan brought a parade of endemic and near endemic larks, bustards, and coursers – including several Double-banded Coursers – and a wonderful view of a stunning White-quilled Bustard right next to our vehicle. We also managed to call up a Rufous-eared Warbler at the picnic stop near Okondeka and had a hunting Pygmy Falcon on the drive back to camp. The drive back also gave us views of a Lappet-faced Vulture, along with no fewer than three – (an adult male, an adult female, and a juvenile) White-headed Vultures that had been drawn to a Black-backed Jackal carcass. This vulture species is rare in Etosha, and on the rest of the tour itinerary, and these were the best views we had ever had on these tours! Double-banded Courser Male White-quilled Bustard Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 Namibia, Botswana & Zambia, 2018 Rufous-eared Warbler Female Pygmy Falcon Birding around camp gave good sightings of a number of colorful waxbills and finches, as well as Crimson- breasted Gonoleks (or Shrikes) and White-crowned Shrikes, feeding Eurasian (or African) Hoopoes, and our best yet views of Barred Wren-Warbler. Large flocks of Shaft-tailed Whydahs and Eastern Paradise-Whydahs – all unfortunately in non-breeding plumage – were coming in to drink at the waterhole, and a pair of young Tawny Eagles kept the local flock of Helmeted Guineafowl in a state of alert! Large mammals were also well-represented around Okaukeujo, although not as numerous as on some previous tours, and we enjoyed great views of elephant, Black Rhino – drinking in daylight at Gemsbokvlakte waterhole, Giraffe, Oryx, Zebra, Black-faced Impala, and Blue Wildebeest coming to drink at the waterhole next to camp. Our second evening in camp brought great, ultra-close views of a Common (or Small Spotted) Genet hunting insects in the light of the floodlights. Black Rhinoceros Crimson-breasted Gonolek Halali Camp in the center of Etosha gave a number of great sightings of nesting Violet Woodhoopoes and Bare-cheeked Babbler, but we could not locate the normally confiding African Scops-Owls – probably the biggest ‘miss’ of the tour.